We are DTC (Dossier to China)!

Last Monday our agency notified us that our Dossier would be sent on to start the translating process and that it would be completed and sent to China by the end of the week. Every time my phone chimed with a new email on Thursday I would check - hoping it was "the" email saying that our dossier had been sent. Thursday came and went - no email. I had planned on making home-made pizza for dinner Friday and told the kids that it would be our celebration dinner for our dossier being sent to China. Friday went by, we did school work, went to the park - no email. I started cooking our dinner disappointed that we didn't have anything really to celebrate. As I started making our pizza crust my phone chimed! The email was there! Our dossier was completed and was on its way to China!! There was a lot of celebrating - a little kitchen dancing and jumping around!! 

Now we enter what I like to call "the acronym" phase of the adoption process. We are what the adoption world calls "DTC" - Dossier To China. Next we will have an "LID" - Log in Date (within 10 to 20 days from the time our dossier is delivered to the CCCWA - the China Center for Children Welfares and Adoption). From there we we will get a referral for a specific child and upon accepting that child's file we will send an "LOI" - Letter of Intent. Then China will send us a "LOA" - letter of acceptance of our intent. This is going to be a very exciting month!

Here is our adoption timeline so far:

3/23/13 - Began filling out our application for CCAI - our agency

5/6/13 - Our application was received by CCAI

5/10/13 - Our application was approved

7/19/13 - our first home study visit

8/12/13 - 10 hours each of parent training completed

8/12/13 - our final home study visit

9/24/13 - home study draft completed for review

10/27/13 - 10 of 13 documents certified by the Secretary of State

11/6/13 - Finalized home study report received

11/9/13 - Garage Sale/ Bake Sale Fundraiser - totaled $720.12

12/10/13 - Fingerprint appointment at USCIS Fort Worth

1/21/14 - I-797 (I-800A) Approval Notice delivered

1/31/14 - Final 3 documents certified by Sec. of State

2/3/14 - Documents sent to Courier for Authentication by the China Consulate in Houston

2/11/14 - Authenticated documents delivered

2/12/14 - Dossier mailed to CCAI

2/20/14 - Dossier critical review completed - 2 docs need amended

2/28/14 - Ammended docs arrive at CCAI

3/3/14 - Translation of Dossier begins

3/7/14 -  DTC!